Ink wells



Aug. 14, 1956 H. E. STEINBERG ET AL 2,758,558

INK WELLS Filed Sept. l1, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l HAROLD E. STEINBERG H ENRY C. KLAGGES INVENTURS Aug- 14, 195.6 H. E. STEINBERG ETAL 2,758,568

Filed sept. 11, 1953 2 sheets-sheet 2 United States Patent O INK WELLSApplication September 11, 1953, Serial No. 379,652

' s Claims. (ci. 12o- 57) vThis `application is a continuation-impart ofour application for patent for Improvements in Ink Wells, filed December31, 1948, Serial No. 68,485. v

Our invention relates to ink wells, and one object of our invention isto provide a simple and eflicient structure, which may be circular incontour, having a broad base which renders the structure non-tippable inordinary use and provides for a relatively large ink-receiving space.

A further object of our invention is to provide means whereby -a writingassembly comprising a pen point or nib and a fountain feed-bar may bekept supplied with ink while being supported in a dipping openingprovided in a cover or closure for the ink well. v

' A further object of our invention is to provide an ink well comprisinga receptacle for containing a supply of ink, a covertherefor having adipping opening constructed to receive the point of a writing assembly,carrier means depending from said cover into the ink space of thereceptacle and being disposed below the dipping opening and in liquidcommunication with the ink space, a unitary mass of multi-cellularelastic material disposed in said carrier; the cells of said materialpresenting a multiplicity of voids into which ink may ow by capillaryaction from said ink space and said material being of a nature such thatit is readily penetrable by fa writing point; said carrier meanspositioning said mass of material at a level such that a writing pointreceived in said dipping opening penetrates and dips into at least theupper'portion of said material and thereby is supplied with the inkstored in the cells f said material.

A further object of our invention is to employ as the multi-cellularelastic material a form of sponge rubber or similar elastic havingcommunicating cells or interstices which will automatically lill withink from the supply in the well for subsequent distribution to the penpoint and feed-bar of the writing assembly when the latter is broughtinto contact with and enters at least the upper portion of saidmulti-cellular capillary'material.

' These fand other features of our invention are more fully set forthhereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, more orless diagrammatic in character, inwhich:

Figure l isa plan view, partly broken away, illustrating one form of inkwell within the scope of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View on the line II-II, Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views on the lines III-V-III andlV-IV, respectively, Fig. 2.

Fig.4 -5 is a fragmentary View, similar to part of Fig. 2; showing`another form 'of cover within the scope of our invention.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line VI--VL Fig. 5.,- p

Fig. 7 is a greatly enlarged view of a piece of sponge rubber as itcomes from the mill; partly in section to represent its multi-cellularcharacter.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7; showing the condition of the spongerubber afterit has been subjected to severe pressureto fracture orrupture its walls or septa whereby IHC@ the several cells may be incapillary communication with each other; such view being largelydiagrammatic.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure illustrated inFig. 2; showing penetration of the pen point or nib into themulti-cellular mass supported in the ink space of the ink well.

Fig. l() is a View in perspective, showing a small piece of the preparedsponge rubber shaped for insertion in the detachable carrier dependingfrom the cover.

Fig. l1 is a view similar to Fig. l0, showing a section of foam rubberas prepared for insertion in the detachable carrier depending from thecover; such view being lightly stippled to indicate its initial porositythroughout.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a sim-I ple andeicient form of ink well with which a writing assembly comprising a penpoint and a fountain feed-bar is associated `and in which provision ismade for supplying the storage space of the feed-bar with ink from asupply in the well by capillary action and wherein the pen point doesnot dip directly into the body of ink.

In the drawings, the ink well is indicated generally atv The cover orclosure for the well, indicated generally at" l1, is provided with anannular depending portion 11a to lit into the upper part of theink-receiving space, and this depending portion is annul-arly grooved at11b for the reception of a washer or gasket 12 which, when the cover istted inplace, engages the inner sloping wall of the opening and, inaddition to functioning as the means for retaining the cover in tightengagement with the wall, prevents evaporation and/or leakage of ink.The upper and lower wall surfaces of the annular groove 11b may beoutwardly beveled or flared, as shown.

Depending from the cover 11, which may have a domed portion 11e, is anannular wall portion or flange 11 eccentrically disposed with respect tothe depending portion 11a, upon which is detachably mounted in anysuitable manner-preferably by a friction t-a cup-shaped shell or hollowreceptacle 13, which may be circular in cross section. The cover is alsoprovided with a depending tubular portion 11X ldisposed centrally of thedepending annular wall portion or flange 11f, and which defines adipping opening 11g for the reception of a writing assembly including apen point 14 and a fountain feed-bar 15 carried by a penholder or penstaff 16; such dipping opening being axially aligned with the shell 13.The feed-bar is provided with a comb 15a with spaces 15b of capillaryd1- mensions for the reception and storage of a supply of initsufficient for the writing of fa great many words from a' dimensions sothat ink entering the shell 13 through its' apertures 13a will fill thecells of this material by capillary action. The ends of tbefpen pointand/or the feedbar engage and enter the capillary material, and fromthis contact the capillary'spaces 15b of the feed-bar will lll l withink by capillary action; such ink remaining therein until the writingassembly is put into use, and feeding to the pen point during a writingoperation. The shell 13, having the bottom perforations indicated at13a, may contact with the bottom of the well or with thebottomof thesump.

In order that the. mass of multi-cellular material may be maintainedagainst displacement in the form of our improved ink well illustrated inFig, 2, and for the further purpose of trapping a portion of any looseink that may be present initially adjacent the upper surface of suchmul'- ti-cellular material, we provide the shell 13 with a liner 20; thelatter fittingclosely within the shell and having a lower inturnedflangeV 29a which,` in addition to engaging the multi-cellular materialand preventing displacement thereof, defines a small. annular space` 21above such material and between shell `and liner. Any ink entrapped inthis space is prevented from spilling should the well upset.

In the form of our improved ink well illustrated in Fig. 5, the cover111 is shown as provided with domed portion 111e having with a dependingportion 25, integral therewith and axially aligned with a dippingopening 111g receiving the writing assembly. The unitary mass ofmulti-cellular material indicated at A is disposed in the lower portionof this depending member 25 which dips into the ink supply within thewell to the full extent; touching the bottom of the same, or the sumpshown centrally of such bottom. In order that ink may reach theinterstices or cells of the mass of capillary material, the lower end ofthe depending portion 25 is slotted or apertured as indicated at 25a.Otherwise, the cover with the form of well shown in Fig. 5 is of thesame character as that shown in Fig. 2 and lits the receptacle` in thesame manner; being retained in place by a similar sealing washer orgasket.

To prevent the ink surging when the cover is applied to the well after afilling operation, which condition might arise by reason of the airpressure developed in such replacement, provision is made for escape ofair beneath the cover which nds its way out through the dipping opening.For this purpose the depending portion 11i of the cover may have a slot11h adjacent its point of attachment to the cover, as shown in Fig. 2.In like manner, the tubular portion 25, integral with the form of covershown in Fig. 5, is slotted at 25h.

It is essential that the cover be held in tight engagement with thewell, and for this purpose we have provided the washer 12, mounted inthe annular groove 11b. The upper and lower surfaces of the groove areared or beveled in opposite directions, as indicated at 11c and 11d, andthese surfaces cooperate with the washer or gasket when the cover is setin place. The Washer is purposely made of such size that its insidediameter is slightly less than the diameter of the groove 11b at itsroot so that when the washer is set in place, its upper surface 12a willhug the upper beveled surface 11" of the groove. The effort to removethe cover from the well is relatively slight.`

The ink well is preferably provided with a wall- 35 of slight elevationprojecting above the plane of the upper surface thereof adjacent itsinner marginal edge b, and the cover rests on this wall when in finalposition. This arrangement provides a narrow space between the undersideof the cover and the topl of the well, and removal ofthe cover may bereadily eifected by a small prya thin coin-inserted in this space, andslight pressure is imparted thereto when it is desired to remove thecover for a fresh ink supply.

In all instances, by preference, the end of the pen point aud/or the endof the feed-bar engages and enters the unitary mass of multi-cellularmaterial carried bythe cover of the ink well and the ink, which rises bycapillary action and' fills the interstices or cells of such mass, willrise further and till the capillary spaces 15b of the feedbar of thewritingk assembly by capillary action so thatthepenpoint thereof 'isready' at all' times for writing purposes. This supply is suicient forthe writing of several pages of manuscript without replenishment;further supply of ink being effected by capillary action as soon as thewriting assembly is returned to the dipping opening.

The multi-cellular elastic material placed in the chamber or housedspace communicating with the ink supply and the dipping opening of ourimproved ink well for the conveyance of ink from the supply to the penpoint and feed-bar of the writing assembly may be of varied character;its function being to hold ink in its interstces or cells by capillarytension for transfer to the. pen point and feed-bar. We havesuccessfully used a form of sponge rubber.

Sponge rubber per se as it comes from the mold or other instrumentalityin which it is made is usually in the form of a relatively thick mass orsheet having a multitude of more or less minute cells individuallycomplete and` separated from each other by a septum whereby thecontained gas is locked therein. This condition is highly desirable whenthe sponge rubber is to be used in the form of a cushion or pad. For thepurpose of carryingY out our invention, however, it is necessary, in theuse of this form of sponge rubber, to rupture or fracture the septaenclosing the individual cells. For such purpose,`

sheets or other masses ofthe sponge rubber are subjected to heavypressure and they may be successively passed between calendering orother rolls whereby the Walls dividing` the cells are broken so that theunitary mass becomes wholly porous and capable of receiving andretaining in the cells or interstices, entirely by capillary action and/or tension, any liquid in which such porous mass may be placed.

Whilewe have referred to sponge rubber which we have used-a chemicallyblown mass the walls of whose cells must be ruptured or fractured-it iswithin the scope of our invention to use other forms of more or lesssimilar material such as latex rubber foam sponge which breathes anddoes. not require rupturing; being initially porous. It is` to beunderstood therefore that the term sponge rubber wherever used in thespecification and claims is that form of such material which is entirelyporous; whether made. so by rupturing the walls dividing the initiallyseparate cells, or that form which is initially porous. In eachinstance, the sponge rubber contains deinte and distinct cells,V eachreceiving a small quantity of ink and in communication with adjacentcells.

In practice. it has been desirable to treat the sponge rubber with awetting` agent for the purpose of promoting the adsorptive propertiesthereof. Any suitable wetting.

agent inan aqueous solution may be employed as long as it is ofa typevnot affected by nor affecting the ink and/or the multi-cellular materialsuch as sponge rubber, or the like.

In Fig. 7 we have a unitary piece of multi-cellular material-spongerubberas it comes from the mill; such view being very` much enlarged andpartly in section to illustrate; the separate cells` divided by solidAwalls` or septa. In Fig. 8 we have shown a similar section ofmulticellular'rnaterial-sponge rubber-after the walls or septa have beenruptured or fractured. Both views are largely diagrammatic.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the lower part of the receptacle 13 whichcontains the mass of multi-cellular material, and the liner 20 whichprevents displacementV of the same; such view also showing the end ofthe pen point and the end of the feed-bar entering the upper part of themulti-cellular material.

In Figs. 10 and 11 we have shown views illustrating the general shape ofthe pieces of'multi-cellular as prepared for placement in the receptacle13; Fig. 1l being lightly stippled to indicate its initial porositythroughout its extent.

The base portion ofour improved ink well is preferably made of' avitreous material-glass orthe likeof the appended claims.

which may be molded in any usual manner. It may be made of othermaterials such as any of the metals unaected by ink acids; earihenware,thermoplastic n or thermosetting resins, and/or the like. The inner wallsurface of the portion receiving ink is slightly tapered; a necessity inan article made in a mold, and such inner wall may be slightly offset toprovide an annular shoulder. By preference we place upon this shoulderan annular ring 36 displaying instructions for filling such as: Do notfill above this level, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l.

The dipping opening is preferably provided with longitudinal ribs andthe grooves between these ribs form air passages. It will be understoodtherefore that any pressure of air that might build up as the cover isapplied will escape through these passages-via the slot 11h in thedepending portion 11f of the type iof structure illustrated in Fig. 2,or the slot 25b of the depending portion 25 of the type of structureshown in Fig. 5.

While it is desirable to provide a circular ink receptacle, the outercontour of the well may be of any other shape, oval, square, or thelike.

It will be understood that the constructional details illustrated `andhereinbefore described are for illustrative purposes only and not aslimitations, since modifications may be made Without departing from thespirit of our invention; all of which is deemed to be within the scopeWe claim: 1. The combination, in an ink well structure, of a holthebottomv of the ink space and said receptacle being apertured in itslower wall portion' for the passage of ink from said space, a unitarymass of ruptured multi-cellular elastic material disposed in said hollowreceptacle; the ruptured cells of such material presenting amultiplicity of inter-communicating voids into which the ink may ow bycapillary action from said ink space and said material being readilypenetrable by a writing point; said hollow recepi tacle positioning saidmass of material at a level such low base having an ink-receiving spacewith a supply of ink therein, a cover for said well having a dependingflange disposed substantially centrally of the underside thereof, ahollow receptacle having a perforated bottom tting over said dependingflange and dipping to the bottom of the ink-receiving space; saidreceptacle receiving ink from the supply in the well, a tubular elementconcentrically arranged with respect to said depending ange and carriedby said cover; the bore of said tubular element defining a dippingopening, a seat at the upper and outer end of said dipping opening, amass of multi-cellular maten'al disposed in the lower part of saidhollow receptacle and receiving ink by capillary attraction from thesupply within` the well, and an internal liner frictionally fitting thewall of the hollow receptacle and confining the multicellular materialin place; said dipping opening being adapted to receive a pen point anda fountain feed-bar having capillary ink storage spaces extending fromthe end of a penholder restingv upon its lseat and said feed-bar and penpoint engaging the capillary material and receiving ink therefrom in itscapillary storage spaces.

2. An ink Well comprising a receptacle for containing a supply of ink, acover therefor having a depending tubular portion defining a dippingopening adapted to receive the pen point and fountain feed-bar of awriting assembly; said feed-bar having a plurality of ink-storagespaces, a

depending annular portion or flange integral with and underlying saidcover and concentrically disposed with respect to the tubular portiondening the dipping opening, a detachable hollow receptacle or shellfrictionally supported on said annular portion or ange and extending tothat a writing point and feed received in said dipping openingpenetrates and dips into at least the upper portion of said material andwhose capillary spaces are supplied with inkL stored in thecommunicating cells of said material, and tubular means frictionallysupported within the hollow receptacle for preventing displacement ofthe multi-cellular elastic material therein; said tubulary means havingan inturned lower edge. y

3. An ink well comprising a receptacle for containing a supply of ink, acover therefor having a depending tubular portion deining a dippingopening, a depending annular portion or ange integral with andunderlying said cover and concentrically disposed with respect to thetubular portion dening the dipping opening, a detachable hollowreceptacle or shell circular in cross section depending from-said coverand frictionally supported on said depending flange and extending to thebottom of theink spacev and said receptacle being apertured in its lowerwall portion for the passage of ink from said space and said materialbeing readily penetrable by a writing point; said hollow receptaclepositioning said mass of material at a level such that a writing pointand feed received in said dipping opening penetrates and dips into atleast the upper portion of said material and Whose capillary spaces aresupplied Vwith ink stored in the communicating cells of said material,and tubular means frictionally held within the hollow receptacle forpreventing displacement of the multi-cellular elastic material therein;`said tubular means having an inturned lower edge overlying saidmaterial, and said dipping opening being adapted to receive the penpoint and feedbar of a uniting assembly; lsuch feed-bar having capillaryink storage spaces and extending from the end of a penholder resting inthe dipping opening and said feed-bar engaging the'multi-cellularcapillary material and receiving ink therefrom in its capillary storagespaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

